Best Soccer Cleats Under $100: Top Picks & Comparisons!

If you are looking for a pair of quality soccer cleats, but don’t have an unlimited budget, you may fear that the only ones you can afford are cheap and inferior. This is not the case. As we look at the best soccer cleats under $100, you will see there are several top brands, and high-quality products on offer at prices which don’t break the bank.

How To Choose The Best Cheap Soccer Cleats Under $100

Just because you are not spending several hundred dollars on your soccer cleats, doesn’t mean that you should not give any thought to their suitability. A pair of soccer cleats under $100 will still be of a high quality, and will also help to improve your skills, control, agility and speed.

Spending under $100 on soccer cleats should still mean you consider the most important features, so to help you consider these we have outlined them for you.

Position

You can make a huge difference to your effectiveness and impact in a game by choosing a pair of soccer cleats suited to the position you play. This is often overlooked by many players and can give you a big advantage when facing opponents. After all, if you are wearing the correct soccer cleats and they are not, you have one over them before a ball is kicked.

Goalkeeper: Grip is vital in this position as the slightest slip can spell disaster. Also look for soccer cleats that offer a decent striking area for when you have to clear a pass back.

Defender: In these positions, an upper which gives the best possible protection, combined with a very good grip underfoot will be ideal combination.

Midfielder: This is a role that needs a player who will run and run for the whole match. For this reason, comfort is essential. Another feature you want playing here is good protection for tackling and being tackled.

Forwards: These are the guys and girls who get the goals so their soccer cleats need to have several features. Being lightweight is one of them so their speed is not hampered. They also want soccer cleats that won’t hamper their agility or turning speed.

Playing Surface

The undersole of soccer cleats is what connects a player with the playing surface and if the two are incompatible then the player’s ability to play, and their safety, are both compromised.

In terms of safety, countless injuries are endured by players because of their standing leg slipping from under them just as they about to shoot, pass or tackle. These injuries include muscle tears, pulled ligaments and serious sprains, all of which can stop you from playing for weeks or even months.

The grip provided by soccer footwear comes from the combination of studs and cleats on the base of the shoe. Different types are suited to particular surfaces, and to help you pick the correct ones, a two-letter code is used to identify the playing surface. You should refer to this and pick the one you are most likely to play on.

HG: Hard Ground: For very hard, dry surfaces

FG: Firm Ground: The most common and used for normal, firm surfaces

SG: Soft Ground: Normally round studs which are suited for grass with some moisture in the surface

AT: Artificial Turf: Used on artificial soccer surfaces such as ‘Astroturf’

AG: Artificial Ground: Used on artificial soccer surfaces such as ‘Astrograss’

IN: Indoor: For indoor soccer halls and courts

Upper Materials

Soccer cleats under $100 will be manufactured using a number of different materials, but the most important material is the one used to make the upper. This is the part of the soccer cleats that forms around your foot and makes the majority of contact with the ball.

This contact, or rather, how good this contact is, can determine how well you control the ball, the touch you have, and the accuracy of shots and passes. It also has a bearing on the amount of protection the soccer cleat has, how light it is, and how durable it will be.

Synthetic Uppers: Durable, comfortable and normally waterproof. Synthetic uppers are less supple than leather ones so may need breaking in.

Full-Grain Leather Uppers: Very comfortable, and very durable. The suppler the leather, the better touch a player will have on the ball.

Kangaroo Leather Uppers: Normally known as ‘K-Leather’. K-Leather is very soft and thin. It is not as durable as full grain leather, but they do provide the very best feel for the ball.

Goat Leather Uppers: Newer soccer cleats releases have started using goat leather for the uppers. Goat leather has similar qualities to K-leather.

Synthetic Leather Uppers: This is normally brand specific as each manufacturer has their own version. It is a combination material that tries to emulate the best qualities of both synthetics and leathers.

Recommended Soccer Cleats under $100

By looking for the best soccer cleats under $100 you might fear that the products available in that price range will all look cheap and dull. With the Adidas Performance X 15.4 Soccer Shoe nothing could be further from the truth. They come in a range of brightly colored options that include fluorescent colors such as yellow, pink and orange.

They look modern, and newer soccer cleat technology is also applied by Adidas in using a synthetic material to create the upper. Adidas have called this ‘Bravo’, which as you may know means ‘brave’ in Spanish, and in Italian means ‘clever’. Are you a brave and clever player?

The stitching on the upper is kept to a minimum which gives the shoe a very clean and sleek look but at the same time provides more durability. The surface has some simple texturing which should help with ball control. The fact that the texturing covers much of the surface of these soccer cleats means any part of the foot will benefit from this when the ball arrives.

The inner shoe has light padding around the rim, although this padding is not present on the tongue which is disappointing. The idea is that protection is sacrificed a little, in return for a closer contact when striking the ball with the front of your foot.

Rubber soles have been used underfoot which provide a more flexible base than a synthetic material would for those that like increased agility when turning. Triangular cleats provide the grip which is ideally set up for playing on firm grass surfaces or artificial surfaces.

Cons

If you want the best soccer cleats under $100 to be shaped like traditional soccer cleats then Dream Pairs Sports Soccer Shoes could be your choice.

The uppers are formed from a synthetic material which is lightweight enough to keep the footwear flexible and comfortable whilst you are playing soccer.

The manufacturers have chosen to use stitching to provide many of the features of this footwear rather than adding more modern 3D texturing. The stitching runs in four double lines across the front section, with two double lines stitched at right angles to these. This stitching provides the texturing to enhance ball control and gives these soccer cleats a high degree of durability.

To give players as much comfort as possible, plus provide a high level of protection, there is a padded inner shoe. The tongue is padded too so that the front of your foot is protected when tackling or being tackled.

Staying with the theme of comfort, you have a padded insole, which protects the feet from underneath, especially when landing. This cushioning also prevents excess pressure from the studs being applied to the sole of your feet.

Dream’s soccer cleats utilize molded rubber studs to provide the grip you will be looking for. They are specifically designed to give you best traction possible when turning quickly or when setting off on sprints.

Pros

Lightweight synthetic upper for increased speed

Durable stitching on upper

Padded inner shoe and tongue for protection

Cushioned insole to enhance comfort

Molded rubber studs to give better grip

Cons

As one of the largest brands in sport, including soccer, Puma offers us an impressive range of products. The fact we are looking for the best soccer cleats under $100, means we are going to look at the Puma’s Evospeed 2.2 FG Soccer Cleats.

A first glance there’s certainly no doubting the brand on these soccer cleats, as the word ‘Puma’ is written in large letters down one side. This combined with a choice of bright colors, including fluorescent yellow, you will definitely be noticed on the soccer field if you are wearing this footwear.

Puma has used their own synthetic material and upper design called ‘Speedcell’ which seeks to combine strength and durability with flexibility.

To give players better touch and feel for the ball, the inner sock liner is removable to give your foot increased contact with the upper. The inner shoe is padded to ensure comfort and give protection when tackling. To give better turning speeds the heel of these soccer cleats has been designed to give a tight fit.

Puma has utilized both conical and bladed studs on the base of the soccer cleats to give players the best possible traction when turning and when they need a burst of speed. They are best suited to firm grass soccer pitches

Pros

Enhanced touch due to removable inner sock

Lightweight synthetic upper

Tight heel fit for faster turning speeds

Inner rim is padded for improved protection

Excellent traction on firm surfaces

Cons

When looking for the best pair of soccer cleats under $100 there are literally dozens of brands that come into view, some well-known, others not so much. With the Zephz Wide Traxx Soccer Cleats, we have a less well-known brand to compare with some of the big beasts of the soccer equipment world. So, will they measure up or fall by the wayside?

Zephz has used a one-piece synthetic material to form the uppers of these soccer cleats, which has the immediate advantage of not requiring loads of stitching. The synthetic upper will be durable with sprinting speeds and the ability to turn quickly enhanced by the fact that it is a lightweight material.

To promote better ball control the surface of the upper has textured dimples similar to that you would find on a golf ball. If you have seen how golfers can make their golf ball curl in the air, this bodes well for these soccer cleats helping you to swerve free kicks and corners.

A riveted TPU plate gives these soccer cleats a strong core, but it also provides enough flexibility so that movement is not hampered when turning or running.

Round studs underfoot provide players with grip and traction on firm natural surfaces, but can also give decent traction on softer ground which has some give in its surface.

A quirky, but welcome bonus are the free colored laces that you get with these soccer cleats when you buy them. You have blue, red, green, yellow, and orange colors to choose from, which means you can have a different color for every game.

Pros

Light synthetic upper to enhance speed

TPU plate for stability and flexibility

Dimples on surface to improve ball control

Round studs for firm or slightly softer ground

Bonus of 5 sets of colored laces

Cons

Our quest to discover the best soccer cleats under $100, will next look at Under Armour Speed Force FG Soccer Cleats. The styling of these soccer cleats is very distinctive, with hi-vis yellow and turquoise colors catching your eye immediately.

Under Armour have used a single piece of synthetic material to create the uppers which will give the feet of the player wearing these soccer cleats, optimum support. On the surface of the upper, you will see a 3D textured pattern which seeks to provide a better degree of ball control. For players who rely on speed and agility, such as wingers or forwards, they will be helped in their task by the lightweight nature of the synthetic materials used for the upper.

The sock liner is die-cut with enhanced cushioning around the rim and in the insole. The padded insole means that pressure being applied upwards from the studs is dissipated, thus reducing any discomfort felt on the soles of your feet.

The core of theses Under Armour soccer cleats consists of a stable TPU plate which is flexible enough to allow quick turns and fast sprints. This movement is aided by the traction provided by bladed cleats in the heel, and conical studs in the front section. The surface most suited to these soccer cleats is firm, natural grass.

Conclusion

To be honest choosing the best soccer cleats under $100 was straightforward compared to some categories we have looked at. The convincing winner is the Adidas Performance X 15.4 Soccer Shoes.

They come with the quality you’d expect from Adidas but they also tick the box in just about every other aspect you would be looking at when choosing your soccer cleats.

They are lightweight, so running speeds aren’t compromised, they are durable thanks to their synthetic upper and they promote ball control due to Adidas’s use of micro-texturing on the surface of the upper. You will also experience a large degree of flexibility when turning or running due to the use of a rubber sole and your grip on firm surfaces is assured.

Whilst there are more expensive soccer cleats that give you some of these features, the fact that the Adidas Performance X 15.4 Soccer Shoes has them all for less than $100 makes them our winners in this category.

Amazon Associates Program

SoccerGap.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
*Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates.
Additionally, SoccerGap.com participates in various other affiliate programs, and we sometimes get a commission through purchases made through our links.